Tire-chain applier



July 7, 1925. 1,545,306

E.- E. CRONENWETH TIRE CHAIN APPLIER Filed June 28, 1924 WITNESS:

ATTORNEY SSheets-Sheet l 5 Shegts-Sheet 2 July 7, 1925. Q

E. E. CRONE NWETH TIRE CHAIN APPLIER Filed June 28, 1 924 'E dronenwe2hINVENTOR WITNESS:

July 7, 1925. 1,545,306

E. E. CRONENWETH TIRE CHAIN APPLIER Filed June 28, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATmmg EY- CQQJWQQ. 4

WIITNESS:

2 dronenwezh July 7. vl92'5".

E. 'E. QRONENWETH TIRE CHAIN APPLIER Filed June 28, 1924 l. 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS:

July 7, 1925. I 1 1 1,545,306

I E. E. CRONENV VETH TiRE CHAIN APPLIER 2a, 1924 s Sheets- Sheet' 5 I dron'nio-ezw INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1925. I I w i I EARL IE. GRO-NENWETH, or ivrtxinss meg enwusynvama.

EIBE-GHAIN" ermine.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, EARL E. CRoNENwnrrr,

a citizen of the United .States, residing at lVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful linp ro rementsin Tire-Chain Appliers, of which the following is a specifi cation. p

My present invention has reference to a means fo-r automatically arranging around and clampinganti-skid chains to the drive wheels of automobiles. v

My primary objects are to' siinplify and improve the construction disclosedby U. S. Patents No. 1, 487,317 granted meonMarch 18, 1924, and No. 1,511,657, granted me on October '14, 199A.

Other-objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the invention is disclosed, reference being had to the drawings which accompany and form 'part of this applica tion.

In the drawings zv ,Figure l is a side elevation of an automos bile provided with the improvement, the spring arm pivotally secured on the felly of the wheel being thrown to arrange the headed angle lever to chain engaging .position.

Figure 2 is a, plan view of a portion of the chain housing, and a sectionalview through one of the drive wheels of an automobile showing the parts arranged forthe application of an anti-skid chain on the wheel.

Figure 3 is. a side elevation of a drive wheel oftheautomobile and a sectional view Off a portion of the chain housing, showing thespring arm and the removable headed angle lever carried thereby in the position illustrated in Figure 1, but also showingithe chain housing projected and the spring closed hook attached to oneenjd of theantiskid chain in a position to be engaged by one head onthe angle lever.

Figure 4 is a viewisubstantially similar to gu ut showing the chain almost wound around the tire of the wheel and the second headed end of the angle lever about to be received in the mouth of the catch carried by the second end links of the chain.

Figure 5 is an elevation of one of the bell crank levers provided with the sockets for the reception of thehook and the catch and which are pivota'lly securedon the rods connected to the ends of .the anti-skid .chain.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the hook.

Application filed il'une "28, 192 4 SerialNo. 723 918. i i 1 :19:5

, wheel.

arms, parts being in section. V

"Figure 9-isan edge view of the construction disclosed in F-igure 8. {Figure 10 i-s 3 a perspective view of the catch. I i Figure 11 is anedge view of the socket end of one ofthe spring arms which is pivotally associated with thefe-ll-y ofthe wheel showing the plate carrying the. ipivoted headed angle lever arranged 'itherein.

Figure'il2 is a sectional view approximately :onthe line 12 12 .of lligure 11.

Figure 13 is a .plan" view 0f; the plate which carries "the headed angle lever, a portion ofthe latter beingshownthereon.

Figure v1 1 is a perspective view of the plate which is secured to the felly of the F igure. 15 is a perspective view .of'wthe inner portion .of the. spring arm employed. Asin my referredto patents, Ivarran e;b eneath the runningzbo'a-rds of an automo ile a housing 1 in which is folded an anti-skid chain. "The housingis in the nature'of'a sub stantially. rectangular .box that has its :for:

ward end closed, its 11011013811 and its sides extending a suitable distance beyond the bottom thereof at the hreardand open end of the housing. f The housing 111 .is removably sup- :ported on brackets2 which are clamped on UMTED STATES: PATENT- OFFICE.

.the housing 1 -has'secured thereto a .rod 5,

the same. passing through "spaced bearing brackets .6 and Trespeotivelyl Therodfi-is preferably threaded-for awportion' of its length and "has threaded thereon stop collars 8 and -9 respectively; The collars ,are

1 held positioned ahybindi'ngj elements '10 and .11. Between (the forward:cbra'cket- 7 and .the collar 8 there is arrangedalound the rod 5; ;a helical spring 12.

The rod 5., 'outwand of its'bearing ,7;is notchedgas at113, and in this notch :th ere .isnormally received adog :14 operated by a-rod connected witha lever 15 conveniently positioned with respect to the driven. A swinging ofthe 'lever will release :the rodgso that .the housing 1 will be projected by the; spring '12 rearwardly through its bearing brackets Qfthe movement of the housing being limited by the contact ofithe collar v9 vvit'hthe' bearing 6. The anti-skid chains, broadly indicated no r by the numeral 16, are folded in the housings in the same manner as are the anti-skid chains arranged in the housing of my referred to patents,"the lower leads of the chains having their transverse links engaged by cleats which are shod with rubber, as indicated by the numeral '17. The end links of the anti-skid chains 16 are swivelly connected, as at 18, to rods 19 and 20 respectively; v p

The rods 19 forthe upper lead of the antiskid chains are swivelly connected, as at 21 to the angle body portions 22 of hook members 23. The mouths of the hook members 23 are normally closed by flat springs 24.

iTherods 20 for the lower leads of the anti skid chains are swivellyconnected, as at 25, to catch members 26.. Eachof the catch members. includes a hollow body havinga rounded closed end and its edges inclined to its opposite and open end. The side of each of the clamps to which the rods 20 are swivelly. connected is open for a portion of its length, being provided with a, flared mouth 27 and a central longitudinal passage 28. The mouth .is normally closed by a pivotally supported dog 30 that is influenced by aspring 31. 1 l 1 Secured in the sides of the housing are the ends of inwardly directed offset arms 32. Each arm 32 terminates in a rounded head 33, the outer face of which being roughened or serrated. The serratedfaces of the heads are engaged by similar serrations on bosses formed on a hub 34 at the juncture of the arms of hell crank levers; I The shorter and v normallyhorizontally disposed arm ofeach of thebell crank levers is indicated by the numeral 36, the longer. arms by the numeral 37. The longer arms have their inner edges normally contacting with plates 38 secured in the sides of the housing above a flexible apron 39 which extends beyond the-bottom of the housing. The plates may be formed on brackets 40 secured in the sides of the housing at the open end thereof, the said brackets receiving therethrough the pivots "41 which connect the heads 33and 35 of the arms 32 and the bell crank levers. On the pivots, between the brackets and the heads 33-there are helical springs 42 for forcing the serrated faces ofthe heads 33 and 35 into engagement with each other. 7

The arms 36 and 37 of the respective'bell cranklevers have at their endssockets 43 and 44 respectively, the substantially V-shaped socket 43 being formed on the arm 36, while the substantially V-shaped socket 44 being riveted or otherwise secured thereto and being arranged at a rightangle with respect to therein respectively the angle o fv sliapecl wall of the socket and is received in a notch 46 in the catch member 26.

Secured by bolts, screws or the like, on the opposite side of the folly of each of the drive wheels'of the automobile, only one being shown, there are diametrically arranged plates 47.. Each ofthe plates hasat one of its corners a depending portion having its end offset to provide a stop flange 48.

Each of the. plates is centrally formed with a boss 49 and the outer face of each of the bosses is toothed or serrated, as at 50. Each bosshas acentral opening therethrough, and there may passthrough the felly .51 of the wheel 52 a single. bolt member53 which also passes through the openings in the respective bosses 49.v Theradial toothed or serrated face of the bosses 49. isdesigned to engage with similar faces 54 on bosses 55 formed on a plate 56 atone end of a spring arm 57. The spring arms 57, itwill benoted, are arranged at. both: sides of the wheel 52 and the bolts 53 are engaged by winged nuts 58.

for holding the spring arms at desired positions with respect to the tread surface of the wheel. Normally the spring arms are in the position disclosedby the dotted lines in Figure 3 ofthe drawings, and each of the.

arms carries at its outerend a substantially V-shaped socket member 59 whose outer face is partly open. The rear wall of each of the sockets 59 has an opening therethrough forthe reception of the head of aspring dog 60. In each of the sockets 59' there is removably secured an angle plate 61'. Each of the angle plates is provided with a small depression in. which. is received the dog 60. Pivot-ally secured to each of the -angle plates 61, adjacentto its widened end there is an angle lever, the arms of which being indicated fordistinction by the numerals 62 and 63respect1vely.' The angle lever is centrally pivoted to the plate 61, and V the arms thereof are designed for contacting engagement with stop members 64 and 65 on the said plate 61.

A spring 66 is secured to the inner portion of the stop member or lug 65 and normally contacts with one edge of the arm 62 of the angle lever, forcing the second arm 63 aga nst the stop member or lug 64. the initial position of the angle lover when the spring arms 57 have been swung to the positions illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. In the said figures, the lever 15 has been operated to release the springinfiuenced rod 5 to move the housing rearwardly and to bring the open sides thereof atthe opposite side ofthe tire of the wheel This is 52. On the outer face and at the-ends :ot the arms 62 and "6,3 of the angle lever-there are secured the shanks of headed elements 67 and 68 respectively. The shanks oft-he headed elements "67 are in a position to :be received in the hooks 23 when the wheels are turned in "a ;reverse or backing d i-' bring its arm'63 to the position illustrated in Figure 4 of-the drawings and to "like wise swing the bell crank lever to brin arm 37 tothe position "illustratedin tllflsfllfil Figure -4-. 'Thus the shank on the headed element --68 is in a position to he received in the mouth of the CatclrQG-andko more the catch out of =tyhe-socket-4A on the longer arm 37 of thebelfl crank levers. In this manner it'wil'l beQnoted that the chain is automatical-lygapplied. In moving the cal ch inembers26 out o-fthe sec'kets ls-the plates (51 'may be-move'd-out-oi the sockets-carried by, the spring arms ;-and='the thumb nuts may be partly unscrewed topermit of the spring arms bei'ngzswun-g toin-itial position.

Q-t course, when the-anti-skid chains-arc no longer required for use {they are released from engagement withthe headed studs on the angle 'leversandihe said chains are rearranged in the housing. T he plates carrying the angle levers may be retainec'l in the car until'reoiuired for use. Thus it will he noted that with my present construction, the only 'elementsremaining' on "the wheel are the spring-arms "and the sockets carried thereby and 'if-necessary these arms may be removed "so that "my present .iinvention ohviates the liability of clogging "bymud off the parts "attached 'to1the wheels set fort-h in my referred to patents. Aside froin this the advantages of my" -prese'nt construction over my referred'to patents will, it is-thought, be apparent to those skilled in thei art 'to which such inventions relate and a @further detailed description is not believed neces sary. It should be stated, however, that the outward swinging-of the spring arms are limited by contactingengagement with the steps 4-8 of the plates secured to the telly of the wheel and 'that such contacting eng-agement places the spring arms in :proper position to receive the angle le-ver carrying plates in the socket ends thereofl-that. is, "to arrange the arms of the said lever for proper engagement With-the -hook and thereafter with the socket on the ends 'of the-antiskid chains.

The inherent resiliency of :the arms The pressure thus exerted will swing the angle lever to such contact without breaking and will automatical ly :return .to original position.

Having described the invention, I claim '-:1;1ln vcombination with an automobile and folded anti-skid chains housed thereon forward of the drive wheels thereof, of a" means 'fori -automatically applying the anti= skid chains to the wheels, comprising Ibell crank Ilevcrs having sockets on the ends of the arms thereof, a hook removab ly arranged in one ot-the sockets, a catch likewise arranged in :tlieTother socket, means connecting the hooks and catches respectively to the end links ofthe upper and Flower leads of the :chain v angle levers having headed studs on the ends thereof remov-c ablyand swingalily supported on the sides of .thewheels, stop means for limi-tingthe swingingiorl xthe angle:levers in both directions, spring means influencing the-swinging of the angle levers to one position, means for projecting the chains and bell/crank levers. to. bring the :hooks ;.to engage the headed studs on one arm-of the angle levers when the wheels of the automobile are turned in one direction, to cause vthe said hooks to be withdrawn from the sockets aftert-he tilting of the zbell crank :levers and the swinging of the angle lovers to bring the headed studs on the second :arm thereof to engage inthe catches and to withdraw the same from the sockets oft-he bell crank ,levers when'the chain iswound around the tire. 2. The con'lhizu'ation with .an automobile having =foldcd anti-skid chains housed forxi ar'd o f the drive wheels thereof, of a means for applying the said chains around the whee-ls of the automobile upon vthe turning of the latter, said means comprising of the wheels each having'an outstanding studon :the ends of the arms thereof, means limiting the swingingo-f the angle levers in two directions spring .lneans influencing the swinging of the angle levers in one direction, whereby :to arrange one of rtl'ie' arms thereof at an outward-angle with respect to the wh eel, means=for;projecting :the: antiski'd chain :to"hring.-the v-snap hooks in the path of engagement-with the headed studs .on the lastmentioned arms of the angle levers and .into such engagement when the wheels are turned, and by virtue of such turning of the wheel to withdraw the hooks from the sockets, to swing the bell crank levers to project the longer arms thereof over the sides of the wheel'tread, and to likewise swing the angle levers to bring the headed studs on the second arms thereof in a position to be received in the catches to I engage. the same and to withdraw said 10 1 catches from the sockets. v

The combination .withan automobile and folded anti-skid chains housed thereon forward of the drive wheels thereof, of a means for automatically applying the chains to the drive wheels upon the turning of the same in a reverse direction, said means including bell crank levers, brackets supporting the same, interengaging teeth between the brackets. and ,the levers, a yieldable pivot between the brackets. and levers, each of said levers having a comparatively normally horizontal arm formed with a wedge socket, means engaging the longer arm of the levers for holding the same from swingingin one direction, a wedge socket on the longer arms of the levers, a snap hook having-awedge body received in the sockets ported angle levers on the sides of the wheel each having a headed outstanding stud on the ends of the arms thereof, spring means influencing one arm of the lever at an outwardangle with respect to the .wheel, stop means for limiting the swinging of the lever in such direction, stop means for limiting the swinging of the first mentioned arms at a downward angle with respect to the wheels, the headed studs on the first mentioned arms designed to be received in the catch means when the wheels are turned in a reverse direction,.to withdraw the same from the sockets, to swing the bell crank levers and to bring the second arms thereof in horizontal position, and likewise toswing the angle levers to bring the headed studs on the second arms thereof in a position to be received in. the catches, and-to withdraw the catches from the housings when. the wheel has made a complete turn and the chain has been applied thereon.

4. In combination with an automobile and folded anti-skid chains carried thereby, said chains having means on the end links thereof removably engaged by turnable ele-' same thereto when the latter are turned in a reverse direction, sa d means comprising spring arms pivoted to the sides ofthe iellies of the drive wheels, means for locking the arms at various desired angles on the wheel, anglcjlevers removably carried by the.

rms, means for limiting the swinging of the levers in two directions, and means on the arms of the levers to first engage with and remove the end linksof the upper lead of the chain to swing the turnable elements and to likewise swing the angle levers to. bring the means on the second-arms thereof. to engage with and to remove the end links of the lower lead of the chain fromthe turnable elements.

5. In combination. with an automobile carrying folded anti-skid. chains which have means on the end links thereof removably engaged by turnableelcments, and means for projecting the chains to arrange the turnable elements adjacent to the sides of the tires of the drive wheels of the automobile, of means carried by the drive wheels 7 arched spring arms having a flat-end .pro

vided with a toothed hub to engage the ser rated hubs of the plates, binding means for adjustably locking the hubs and for: sustaining thespring arms at various desired angles on the'wheels, a socket member on the outer end of each arm, a wedge plate removably secured therein, a spring dog holding the plate in the jsocket,j anangle lever pivoted to each plate, stop means on the plate for limiting the swinging of the angle levers in two directions, spring means influencing the angle levers to one position to bring one of the arms thereof in a position to engage with and removethe upper leads of the anti-skid chain from the turns able elements to swing the same and remove the chain therefrom and to likewise swing the turnable elements and the angle levers to bring thegsecon'd arms of the'latter to engage with the end linksof the lower lead .of the chain to remove the same: from the said turnable elements and lock the chain- 7 EARL E, CRONENWETH. 

